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DETROIT — Helio Castroneves was here to find fault, but the two-time Indianapolis 500 winner gave the race circuit at Belle Isle a whole-hearted thumbs-up.

Castroneves took several laps around the 14-turn, 2.1-mile course early Tuesday morning to offer feedback to team engineers, and Indy Racing League and Detroit Grand Prix officials. Castroneves drives for Bloomfield Hills businessman Roger Penske, who is the force behind returning the Detroit Grand Prix to the city for the first time since 2001.

Castroneves drove his Marlboro Team Penske Indy car to gauge where the track can be improved for the Labor Day weekend event that kicks off Aug. 31. The weekend includes an American LeMans Series endurance event on Sept. 1 and the IndyCar race on Sept. 2.

“I’m very impressed,” said Castroneves, winner of the Detroit Grand Prix in 2000 and 2001. “The back side (of the track), the straightaway, everything seems to be not as bad as it looks. You see the cracks in the ground, you think, ‘Oh, this is going to be tough,’ and actually it’s not. It’s pretty nice. Some few areas there were bumps with the new concrete, which I believe is normal with something new. You have to smooth it out.”

Workers were adding benches to the grandstands overlooking the front straightaway Tuesday, putting finishing touches on the temporary race course. About 450,000 square feet of concrete was poured for the race paddock area and another 130,000 square feet of concrete was added to improve the race circuit earlier this year.

“Every day is a transition here,” said Bud Denker, vice president of Penske Corp. and Detroit Grand Prix chairman, referring to Belle Isle’s ongoing transformation into a temporary race course.

Circuit gets back on track

The focus of Tuesday’s feasibility test was to find out what needs to be done to make the circuit better for competitors.

During its previous existence, the Detroit Grand Prix course was criticized by drivers as offering little or no room to pass, not to mention being a mess during any inclement weather because of the grassy and muddy areas that now are covered with concrete.

The course is still tight, but Castroneves says there are several areas that offer room for passing.

The back straight along the Detroit River — an area where Castroneves suggested moving temporary concrete barriers along the right side atop the curb for more racing room — takes the drivers into a wide entrance into Turn 8. There’s enough space there, he said, for drivers to make a move.

That leads into four corners in front of the Casino that he said provide the best viewing for spectators, not to mention incredibly difficult racing.

“It is another area for battle,” Castroneves said of that section of turns. “There are some areas where the removable walls, you want to try to allocate them to have better sight (line) … Things are incredible, especially the area around (Scott) fountain. That area seems to be so much better than it used to be. It’s awesome. I knew it would be good. What Roger (Penske) puts his finger on always is impeccable.”

Some areas of the track feature new concrete and a few of those areas, Castroneves said, are bumpy and rough. He made recommendations to race officials to improve those areas.

“It is not a problem in terms of grinding and stuff like that,” Castroneves said. “They are unique for the circuit. It’s a great challenge (to leave some bumps). What I’m trying to do is make (the track) better. We also want to have the challenge and the unique style of this track so it doesn’t become too nice and too easy so that everybody can drive it.”

Castroneves said he enjoyed his many runs around the circuit, saying he only missed having all the walls around the track to create a more realistic scene. But the point of the test was not speed but to find ways to tweak the circuit.

“It’s small details,” he said.

Call for volunteers

Rena Shanaman, events director for the Detroit Grand Prix, said there are more than 800 volunteers for the race weekend.

“We probably need 200 to 250 more,” Shanaman said.

She said the Grand Prix will have a kickoff party for volunteers on Aug. 2 at Comerica Park and those who are interested can sign up there.

For information, visit www.detroitgp.com.